Work starts on stadium

[cadmium]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drill...80624-1211.htm
Liverpool City Council granted full planning permission on June 19 to Liverpool Football Club to build a 60,000 seater stadium and outline planning permission for a mixed use development on the existing Anfield stadium site.
The stadium will incorporate a club shop, conference and banqueting facilities, parking for almost 1,000 vehicles and a Community Partnership centre. Its design is ultimately capable of accommodating up to 73,000 people subject to further planning permission.

LFC has instructed Laing O'Rourke to commence enabling works under a licence issued by the Liverpool City Council. Works started on June 23.

Co-chairman George Gillett said: "This is a significant milestone for the club and I am delighted that the design received full planning consent and that we are now on site.

"We have been working very hard over the last six months to move the details of the design along but this is the first tangible evidence for fans that a New LFC Stadium will be built.

"The stadium design is unique and will be recognised across the world as the Liverpool FC Stadium. It incorporates a Kop stand that will hold 18,000 fans and we hope that the stadium will be as noisy and atmospheric on a matchday as Anfield."

Co-chairman Tom Hicks added: "We recognise the importance of a new LFC Stadium as part of the wider regeneration of the local area.

"We have watched the council transform Stanley Park over the last six months and the ongoing refurbishment of houses in the Anfield/ Breckfield area. I am pleased that now the club has received full planning permission it can join the regeneration process with the commencement of enabling works."

The stadium is on programme to open for the beginning of the 2011-12 season.

[Skillz]

I have a feeling once the work gets under way the sale to DIC may go ahead. DIC do not want to pay over the top but will have to if they want to get control. If they pay 500M GBP it will be seen to be a more acceptable purchase if that involves the stadium progression. IMO anyway but most likely wishful thinking.

[Imy]

Good news

[Dhav]

Interesting that GIllett is now extolling the virtues of a design that reportedly no one at the club wanted but Hicks. It seems like these two are now singing from the same hymn sheet, which for those of us who want them gone does not seem like overly good news.

[SERVO1]

I have a feeling once the work gets under way the sale to DIC may go ahead. DIC do not want to pay over the top but will have to if they want to get control. If they pay 500M GBP it will be seen to be a more acceptable purchase if that involves the stadium progression. IMO anyway but most likely wishful thinking.

That would mean that either DIC are stuck with the Yanks design of stadium or that work would halt as DIC tried to get planning permission for their own design.

Not too sure if DIC would be happy to keep the Yanks design.

[wishiwasascouser]

That would mean that either DIC are stuck with the Yanks design of stadium or that work would halt as DIC tried to get planning permission for their own design.

Not too sure if DIC would be happy to keep the Yanks design.

I agree with this, I think once the stadium work starts proper you won't see DIC for dust. The stadium is one thing the Americans have got right , also they must be extremely confident of securing the rest of the money for the stadium.

[Dhav]

That would mean that either DIC are stuck with the Yanks design of stadium or that work would halt as DIC tried to get planning permission for their own design.

Not too sure if DIC would be happy to keep the Yanks design.

I don't think they would.

In the same way that Hicks sees this stadium as his legacy, I'm sure DIC would as well. They'd want full control over the stadium project, including design I would have thought

[Dessy]

That would mean that either DIC are stuck with the Yanks design of stadium or that work would halt as DIC tried to get planning permission for their own design.

Not too sure if DIC would be happy to keep the Yanks design.

Why not?

No one seems to doubt that the Yanks can design stadiums. I think it would only frustrate and annoy people if DIC were to come in and then start going throught the design/planning stage all over again?

[Skillz]

That would mean that either DIC are stuck with the Yanks design of stadium or that work would halt as DIC tried to get planning permission for their own design.

Not too sure if DIC would be happy to keep the Yanks design.

Well they wont have a choice if they want in. TBF it's a pretty good stadium, IMO.

[redstaralex]

what actually are enabling works? is this digging or just getting yout workers together? I suppose what I'm getting at is is this no more than permission?

[Dhav]

Why not?

No one seems to doubt that the Yanks can design stadiums. I think it would only frustrate and annoy people if DIC were to come in and then start going throught the design/planning stage all over again?

The yanks can design them, but my concern is can they get them built? Hasn't one of Hicks' building projects been put on hold in Texas? If DIC came in, and they can start wholesale from scratch when it comes to stadium as far as I'm concerned, because although it may delay matters further, at least you can guarantee they'd get it done.

[Skillz]

what actually are enabling works? is this digging or just getting yout workers together? I suppose what I'm getting at is is this no more than permission?

It's a bit suss. Planning permission was granted ages ago but this has been printed in order to make it look like they have been held back by council.

It's a PR piece announcing the start of the build, written with a LFC flavour. Personally I would suggest just waiting for the earth to move, which it should soon, but more importantly I would wait to see what happens after the 60M runs out.

I suspect DIC will own us by Sept/Oct.

[redstaralex]

yeah, that's what I thought, am wondering if Hicks wants to get the project started asap so that hks pretty much have to be involved in building the new stadium thereby making himself a nice bonus thereby forcing DIC to take that design (and I would guess pissing them off), assuming DIC are buying us of course

[Skillz]

yeah, that's what I thought, am wondering if Hicks wants to get the project started asap so that hks pretty much have to be involved in building the new stadium thereby making himself a nice bonus thereby forcing DIC to take that design (and I would guess pissing them off), assuming DIC are buying us of course

Well i am only guessing but my best guess which is purely speculation is that the deal to sell to DIC was arranged about the time all the **** from both sides in the press stopped. If I am correct I would hazard a guess that part of the deal to get Hicks across the line was that "his" stadium gets built.

Once we are committed it will mean DIC are committed so no fault of theirs, hence why Sept/Oct was my prediction for the sale to go through. Also explains why Rafa has been smiling so much when he hasn't got enough money, IMO.

[ronanm]

DIC could be happy with the existing design given that the only thing the wanted to change were the Burger Vans - it turns our these are going to continue be mobile units, with the exisiting models simply requiring a new paint job saying "Burka Vans"